GM AJ Breaks the Curse, Sends GM Gupta to League’s Basement in Week 8 Thriller

The league’s long-suffering underdog, GM AJ, finally tasted sweet victory—and the relief was palpable. For seven weeks, every fantasy Sunday had been a cruel joke for AJ, the manager of “Fuck Stroud.” Each new loss dragged him closer to the lore of GM Larson’s legendary 0-8 start, a story that haunted the chatroom and taunted with each new defeat. But in Week 8, AJ exorcised his demons, handing GM Gupta (Arnav) a stinging defeat and turning the tables on a season that felt all but lost.

The Setup: Despair, Hope, and Rivalry

AJ and Gupta trudged into the week each nursing a single win and carrying the burden of hope unfulfilled. For AJ, the winless agony weighed heavy—a stretch of bad breaks, lineup pitfalls, and opponents posting career-best scores. Gupta, on the other hand, had played the role of tragic hero: his “Build Me Up Buckycup” squad, despite scoring over 120 more points than AJ on the season, just hadn’t caught the breaks in head-to-head matchups. With every close loss, whispers grew—was Gupta truly cursed?

Kickoff: Hurts and Kelce Lead the Charge

From the opening snap, it was clear AJ’s team was different this week. Jalen Hurts, ever the fantasy savior, delivered a masterclass for Philadelphia: tossing four touchdowns, making every throw count, and adding a sprinkle of rushing yardage on top. It was the kind of performance that anchors a fantasy roster and inspires belief—a rare feeling in AJ’s locker room this season.

In Kansas City, Travis Kelce was unstoppable. AJ’s tight end battered the Washington defense, racking up nearly 100 yards and a touchdown. Each grab brought group chat emojis and cheers, a raucous soundtrack to an improbable revival.

Stefon Diggs, now wearing the Patriots’ colors, delivered in the clutch. His sure hands and a trip to the end zone gave AJ 10.40 critical points. Xavier Worthy joined him in the end zone party, and AJ’s decision to start him proved savvy. Jauan Jennings, Jake Elliott, and—perhaps most crucial—Los Angeles Chargers’ defense all contributed, keeping AJ’s score climbing as the Sunday slate rolled on.

Gupta’s Nightmare

But while AJ’s sideline erupted with every big play, a very different mood settled across GM Gupta’s team. His quarterback, Joe Flacco—yes, that Joe Flacco, now somehow piloting the Bengals’ offense—tried desperately to keep his squad in contention with 24.32 heroic points. Yet, the ground game faltered. Quinshon Judkins and J. Croskey-Merritt sputtered against stiff defensive fronts, offering little more than consolation points.

Chris Olave muscled his way to 14 points—Gupta’s lone bright spot among the receivers—while Emeka Egbuka struggled to break free. Kyle Pitts played like the future of the tight end position, delivering a crisp 14.90, but it was never quite enough.

Gupta’s kicker, Kaimi Fairbairn, did his duty, and the Houston defense tried to hold the line, but the gap persisted. Every quarter, the scoreboard measured Gupta’s pain: a performance worthy of any other week, but set against the one game AJ’s squad pulled everything together.

The Fallout: Misery Loves Company

The final score was decisive: AJ’s “Fuck Stroud” soared to 110.76, putting Gupta's “Build Me Up Buckycup” in the rearview with 97.12. After eight weeks, the fantasy gods had delivered a cruel twist—Gupta, who’d outscored AJ by more than 120 points on the season, now shared the same record at the very bottom of the standings: 1-7.

For AJ, the win was a lifeline, an escape from the shadow of Larson’s infamous 0-8 start. For Gupta, it was a deepening of the nightmare, a reminder that fantasy is sometimes crueler than fiction. How could a manager so consistently put up points find himself shackled to the league cellar, while fate finally smiled on its most embattled soul?

Epilogue: A League Reborn

The group chat pulsed with energy—memes, GIFs, predictions. AJ reveled in the rare taste of victory, the air finally lighter around his squad. Gurus offered condolences to Gupta, whose patience had rewarded him with nothing but anguish. The standings reset, and as the league pushed into Week 9, everyone wondered: Could AJ string together another win? Would Gupta finally catch a break, or remain the league’s tragic figure?

In fantasy football, fate is fickle, and legends grow by the week. For now, one manager celebrated a long-awaited triumph. Another searched for the sense in this strange, beautiful game. And somewhere, GM Larson smiled—his infamous record safe, at least for another week.